Iloilo barter group ‘worried’ about DTI’s regulation edict

By Joseph B.A. Marzan

 

Facebook group Iloilo Barter Community (IBaCo) on Tuesday expressed its worry on the pronouncements of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez that online barter communities in the country are “illegal” and should pay taxes.

In a statement sent to Daily Guardian, the group’s admin “Tita” said that they were worried that they may have violated certain laws.

“Dako ang akon kulba sa bag-o naman nga nagalagaw nga balita regarding the barter communities that the barter system might be violating the laws of the land. Iloilo Barter Community was created as a platform of help especially during the ECQ. Since indi man maakupahan sang gobyerno ang kinahanglanon sang tanan nga pumuluyo sang probinsiya, nagmato-mato ang tagsa-tagsa sa aton nga may ara means of acquiring goods in exchange of something.” ‘Tita’ said in a statement.

IBaCo believes that bartered goods should not be subjected to taxation and hoped that Sec. Lopez will clarify his pronouncements.

“Waay ako personally background sa layi bilang Tiya sang mga Ilonggo members naton sa IBACO apang ang akon pag-intindi, kung ang isa ka butang nabakal na, na tax na, indi na ina subject to any taxes kay tungod nga these were already taxed during the original purchase. Kabay pa nga maklaruhan ini nga issue para may peace of mind man ang aton mga miyembro nga nagasalig nalang gid sa bartered goods nila para makakaon kag makakuha sang ila kinahanglanon,” the group said.

During the state-run PTV’s Laging Handa Briefing on Tuesday, Lopez vowed to crack down on online barter communities, saying such trading is only allowed in the provinces of Sulu and Tawi-tawi.

President Rodrigo Duterte created the Mindanao Barter Council (MBC) in 2018 via Executive Order No. 64 to “strengthen trade and commerce between and among member-states of the BIMP-EAGA”.

The DTI Secretary is the chairperson of the MBC.

“Barter trades are allowed in limited places in Mindanao because of the nature of the places that need to be improved, the livelihood especially of those who live in the shores. In other places, they’re not allowed. They should be regular transactions and there has to be taxes paid. They are violating tax laws. We will look for them because [bartering] is an illegal activity,” Lopez said.

He also said that the DTI is actively cracking down on online barter groups with the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI).